Layout gauge



July 9 v1963 w. R. ALBRIGHT ETAL 3,096,586

LAYOUT GAUGE Filed lMarch 25, 1955 MHD oan"

'nnhslous a- TRAIGHT EN um: REU

United States Patent O 3,096,586 LAYOUT GAUGE William R. Albright and Henry F. Szczepanski, both of 332 Main St., Lander, Wyo. Filed Mar. 25, 1955, Ser. No. 496,781 3 Claims. (Cl. 33-26) This invention relates to a gauge and it relates more particularly to a gauge forunse in the layout of various patterns and designs on "such` surfaces as wood, paper, metal and the like and particularly on such resilient, soft and flexible material as dress goods and the like fabric material, such as in the layout of designs on dress goods for a guide in sewing the design or pattern into the fabric.

It is an object of this invention to produce a gauge or layout tool of the type described which is manufactured of a few, simple parts which are capable of being easily assembled into a low cost tool; which is easy in operation and` use for laying out various designs upon surfaces; which is capable of establishing a desired frictional gripping relationship with the` underlying surface to prevent inadvertent slippage in use, especially when used on dress goods which are soft and resilient by nature; which may be used interchangeably as a rule or compass of divider and for drawing lines and circles, or for dividing a circle easily and quickly into equal segments without adjustment or relocating thetool on the surfaces being worked upon; and which is a compact and small unit capable of storage in small available spaces .about the room or sewing machine.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which,

FIGURE 1 is a top plan View of the gauge embodying features of this invention in its fully extended position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the gauge shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a view from the bottom side of the gauge shown in FIGURE 1; and Y FIGURE 4 is a schematic top plan view, showing the gauge of FIGURE 1 in various positions of adjustment.

Briefly described, the gauge embodying the `features of this invention comprises a pair of circular disc members 10 and 12 concentricallly arranged one on the other with the lowermost'disc member 10 being of substantially greater diameter than the upper disc member 12. The

l disc members are joined one to the other at their centers by means of a grommet 14 extending axially through the aligned openings at the center with the end portionl of the grommet turned outwardly to define annular llanges 16 and 18 between which the disc members are located.

Integral with the lower disc -is an arm or rule 20 which extends radially outwardly from a sector of the disc corresponding to an angle slightly less than .about 90 degrees, with the rearward edge 22 of the rule extending substantially tangentially from the outer periphery of the disc 10, while the forward edge 24 extends outwardly in parallel relation' with a radial line from the center of the disc member but offset la rshort distance rearwardly there- `of .by an amount corresponding to the normal spaced relation between .the point off 'a writing tool and the portion of the tool in engagement with the edge of 'the r-ule so that the line drawn by the tool :along the edge will extend in true radial alignment with the centerof the disc.

Another arm or rule 26 substantially identical in dimension and shape with the rule 20 extends outwardly from a similar portion of the upper disc 12 with the exception that the rear-wand edge 28 of the rule extends in a tangential direction from the disc member but spaced rearwardly from the periphery thereof because of the rice smaller dimension of the upper disc. It will be apparent that when the rule members are positioned to extend end. wise degrees apart from the ldisc members, the writing edge of each will lie in parallel relation but offset in opposite directions by lan amount to bring the lines into substantially perfect alignment to enable use of the gauge as an improved ruler or divider.

The pair of disc members .and rulers extending outwardly therefrom may be formed of any desirable sheet material having sufficient rigidity, such as paper board, wood, metal, plastics, laminated paper or board and the like. For purposes of establishing lthe desired gripping relation with the underlying surfaces, such as when formed of dress goods or other textile material, it has been found expedient to form the under side of lBhe lower members 10 and 20 with ysurface roughness, suoh as by bonding lgrit 30 or other `granular material to the under sides thereof, or texturing the under side with some embossed patterns or the like. members 12 `and 26 lare preferably formed free of surface roughness, especiallyl throughout the disc member and the major portion of the length of the rule, but it is expedient to provide an outer end portion of the rule `spaced a short distance inward-ly from the end thereof with a similar type of ysurface roughness 32 to provide a desired gripping relation when the rule 26 is extended angularly in a `direction other than' the lower member 20. The surface roughness on the under side of the upper j arm is preferably located in the `area normally held down onto the underlying surface when use is made of the arm for drawing purposes.

By the use of such surface roughness on the under side of the members, the. gauge or tool can be located in positions of use on' the underlying textile material yfor drawing a pattern or the like, and the upper rule can be manipulated to various positions without displacement of the gauge from the base from which the design has been init-lated, and the surface roughness present in both members enables the members to become anchored to the underlying surface suiiiciently terraciously to enable the operator to free one hand for drawing with the tool without displacement. The surface roughness permits ready manipulation of the gauge or tool from one position to `another in laying out la design. Without such surface roughness slippage invariably occurs in use, such that it becomes difficult accurately to lay out a design or pattern' on a surface as slippery as dress goods or the like.

In addition to the structural features described, a gauge embodying features of this invention comprises means for enabling use thereof for measuring, for drawing circles of various diameters, for subdividing circles into various segments or chords or radii, or merely for drawing segments of various dimension on a surface without the necessity for relocating the tool and without the necessity for calculating angles or the use of separate tools for layout of angles,

As illustrated in the drawing, the lower arm 20 is subdivided along its forward edge 24 into inches and fractions of an inch, as by means of indications 34, starting from the outer edge of the arm towards the center, and upper arm 26 is similarly divided by indications 36 along its forward edge into inches and fractions of an inch, starting with the distance from the edge of the other rule when outstretched to 180 degrees or corresponding to the distance between the outer edge of the rule 20 to the center, plus the distance of the indications on the top rule from the same center.

-For use in drawing circles, the upper rule 26 is formed with a plurality of laterally spaced-apart openings 38 extending lengthwise through a central portion of the rule with the openings marked in inches and half inches The under side of the upper corresponding to twice the distance of the opening from the center to indicate the diameter of the circle that would be drawn by the use of a writing tool in said opening when swung about the center.

Because of the many equal subdivisions that can be made of a circle, a system embodying interrelated circles and lines is provided on the upper and lower disc members 12 and 1) respectively, including subdividing the portion of the lower disc member extending outwardly beyond the upper into a plurality of circular sections, such as the three circular sections 40, 42, and 44. These circular sections are subdivided with radial lines 46 of different colors some of which extend outwardly radially only through the inner section 40, some of which extend outwardly radially through to the middle section 42, while others extend outwardly across all three sections. The arm portion 26 extending outwardly from the upper disc member is subdivided into segments 40a, 42a, and 44a in alignment with the corresponding circular sections of the underlying disc, and these segments are either colored differently, as illustrated, or otherwise designated to distinguish the various segments.

The outer circular section 4 is formed wtih lines extending about 90 degrees apart and also with other lines extending 120 degrees apart and with a third set of lines extending 72 degrees apart, for use with the outer segment 44a in setting the upper rule 26 at 90 degree angles, or at 120 degree angles, or at 72 degree angles in subdividing a circle into four, three or five equal segments respectively.

The middle circular section 42 is subdivided by six lines which are 60 degrees apart, eight lines of a different color which are 45 degrees apart, one-half of which correspond to the 90 degree lines extending outwardly through the outer segment 44 and the central circular section is also subdivided with ten lines of the same color as the tive 72 degree lines, but with the addition of the alternate lines half between the 72 degree lines so that the ten lines appear 36 degrees apart in the center section. The lines in the center sections are used in combination with the segment 42a in the arm member 26 to align the rule 26 at various positions for subdividing the circle into six, eight, or ten equal segments.

Similarly, the inner circular section 40 is formed with sixteen lines which are 22.5 degrees apart for use in subdividing a circle into sixteen equal segments. One-half of the sixteen lines are formed as continuations of the 90 degree lines and the 45 degree lines which extend continuously therethrough, as previously described.

Thus the outer segment is used with respect to the lines in the aligned circular section 44 to draw lines 120 degrees apart, 90 degrees apart, or 72 degrees apart. The central segment 42a is aligned with the underlying central section 42 for alignment with the radial lines therethrough to indicate angles of 6() degrees, 45 degrees, and 36 degrees apart, while the inner circular segment 40a is aligned with the inner circular section 40 provided with radial lines which function to position the rule at 22.5 angles.

It will lbe apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided a simple device which is capable of many uses in layout of designs or patterns of various surfaces, such as textile material, and for quickly and efficiently drawing circles, subdividing the circles into various segments and angles, and for drawing the radial lines through such circles or segments in predetermined angular relationships.

It will be apparent further from the description and from the drawings that a table identifying the various positions of the rule for the described line and angular arrangements may be provided as indicated by the numeral 50 on the upper face of the lower rule 20 as a gmide for indicating the various color and line combina- Cil tions effective automatically to permit the rule to be set in its described angular positions. It will be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement, and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as delined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A layout gauge for textiles comprising first and second members, said first member including a disc-like portion and an elongated arm integrally secured thereto, said arrn extending out beyond the periphery of the disc-like portion and including a first straight edge parallel to and offset from a diameter on said disc-like portion by the thickness of a scribing tool, said second member including at least an arm, said arm of said second member pivotally connected to the center of said disc-like portion and including a second straight edge on the opposite side of said diameter when opened parallel to and offset from said diameter by the thickness of a scribing tool, said second member having a plurality of scribing point openings extending along its length so that the gauge :can function as a compass in drawing circular arcs of varying radii, indicia on one surface of said first and second members whereby said gauge can be used interchangeably as a ruler, a compass, or a divider, frictional means on at least the greater part of the opposite surface of said one member for establishing a gripping relationship with the textile material, and frictional means on the lesser lpart of the opposite surface of the second member whereby said second member can be pivoted over the surface of said textile material without snagging while said lirst member is in gripping engagement therewith, or in cooperation with said iirst member functioning as a straight edge when a small amount of pressure is exerted on said second member to force its frictional means into engagement with said textile material.

2. The layout gauge described in claim 1 wherein the frictional means on the lesser part of the opposite surface of the second member is disposed intermediate its ends.

3. The layout gauge described in claim 1 wherein said indicia includes scale markings along each straight edge, the scribing point openings in said second member associated with the scale markings on its straight edge to permit circles of predetermined radii to be drawn, said disclike portion having circular marks thereon delining circular bands and a plurality of sets of color coded radially extending scale markings, arcuate color coded indicia on said second member whichin cooperation with said second straight edge cooperate with the said correspondingly, colored radially extending indicia on said disc-like portion for subdividing a circle into a plurality of uniform subdivisions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 647,339 Thompson Apr. 10, 1900 677,948 Cowart July 9, 1901 761,272 Wagniere et al. May 31, 1904 765,300 Williams July 19, 1904 769,044 Anderson Aug. 30, 1904 791,848 Wilson June 8, 1905 1,299,978 MacDowney Apr. 8, 1919 1,706,510 Allen Mar. 26, 1929 1,952,344 Webber Mar. 27, 1934 2,023,539 Packard Dec. 10, 1935 2,104,515 Golden lan. 4, 1938 2,189,245 Guinez Feb. 6, 1940 2,575,077' Snyder Nov, 13, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 361,340 Germany Oct. 13, 1922 248,240 Switzerland Feb. 2, 1948 

1. A LAYOUT GAUGE FOR TEXTILES COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS, SAID FIRST MEMBER INCLUDING A DISC-LIKE PORTION AND AN ELONGATED ARM INTEGRALLY SECURED THERETO, SAID ARM EXTENDING OUT BEYOND THE PERIPJERY OF THE DISC-LIKE PORTION AND INCLUDING A FIRST STRAIGHT EDGE PARALLEL TO AND OFFSET FROM A DIAMETER ON SAID DISC-LIKE PORTION BY THE THICKNESS OF A SCRIBING TOOL, SAID SECOND MEMBER INCLUDING AT LEAST AN ARM, SAID ARM OF SAID SECOND MEMBER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE CENTER OF SAID DISC-LIKE PORTION AND INCLUDING A SECOND STRAIGHT EDGE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID DIAMETER WHEN OPENED PARALLEL TO AND OFFSET FROM SAID DIAMETER BY THE THICKNESS OF A SCRIBING TOOL, SAID SECOND MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF SCRIBING POINT OPENINGS EXTENDING ALONG ITS LENGTH SO THAT THE GAUGE CAN FUNCTION AS A COMPASS IN DRAWING CIRCULAR ARCS OF VARYING RADII, INDICIA ON ONE SURFACE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS WHEREBY SAID GAUGE CAN BE USED INTERCHANGEABLY AS A RULER, A COMPASS, OR A DIVIDER, FRICTIONAL MEANS ON AT LEAST THE GREATER PART OF THE OPPOSITE SURFACE OF SAID ONE MEMBER FOR ESTABLISHING A GRIPPING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TEXTILE MATERIAL, AND FRICTIONAL MEANS ON THE LESSER PART OF THE OPPOSITE SURFACE OF THE SECOND MEMBER WHEREBY SAID SECOND MEMBER CAN BE PIVOTED OVER THE SURFACE OF SAID TEXTILE MATERIAL WITHOUT SNAGGING WHILE SAID FIRST MEMBER IS IN GRIPPING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, OR IN COOPERATION WITH SAID FIRST MEMBER FUNCTIONING AS A STRAIGHT EDGE WHEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF PRESSURE IS EXERTED ON SAID SECOND MEMBER TO FORCE ITS FRICTIONAL MEANS INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TEXTILE MATERIAL. 